It is known in the art to which this invention pertains to provide upon a suitable substrate nickel and chromium coatings. Particularly with respect to relatively small metal parts, this involves what is termed in the art as "bulk plating", and while it is relatively simple to barrel plate relatively small parts such as screws and the like with bright nickel in various types of barrel apparatus, to then chromium plate these same parts which have been bulk nickel plated is relatively difficult, and it is normally necessary that the parts be transferred from the barrel in which they have been nickel plated. It is required that the parts to be chromium plated be transferred to special barrels, which is an expensive operation, and these same barrels have limited capacities, accordingly, chromium plating has been accomplished in trays. This, however, requires substantial labor and ultimately results in a plating cycle which is quite cost-consuming.